GWM Jolion vs Nissan Magnite

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

GWM Jolion in South Africa

GWM Jolion

1.5T Hybrid LT Hybrid Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 17.9 km/l
VS
Nissan Magnite in South Africa

Nissan Magnite

1.0 Acenta Plus EZ-Shift Petrol Current
ZAR 323,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 53 kW 🔧 96 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Jolion
Fuel Economy Jolion
🛡 Safety Jolion
📦 Practicality Magnite
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Magnite starts ZAR 180,000 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · Magnite from ZAR 229,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Jolion Magnite
Maximum Power 115 kW @ 5500 rpm 53 kW @ 6250 rpm
Maximum Torque 250 Nm 96 Nm @ 3500 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 999 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 17.9 km/l 16.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 190 mm 205 mm
Boot / Load Bay 340 l 336 l
Airbags 6 6 airbags
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1007 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 6 years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Jolion has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Magnite remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Jolion +35 pts
Efficiency Jolion +8 pts
Safety Jolion +7 pts
Practicality Magnite +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Jolion

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Magnite

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Magnite

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jolion Magnite
360 Degree Camera Yes Around View Monitor
Active Engine Braking No -
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Around View Monitor Yes Around View Monitor
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Not Available
Automatic High Beam Yes Not Available
Auto Highbeam Yes Not Available
Auto Lights Yes LED bi-projector headlamp
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Not Available
Blind Spot Warning Yes Not Available
Cruise Control Yes Cruise control with adjustable speed limiter
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes Not Available
Emergency Braking Yes Not Available
EV Mode Yes Not Available
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not Available
Front Camera Yes Around View Monitor front camera
Lane Departure Warning Yes Not Available
Lane Keep Assist Yes Not Available
Park Assist Yes Not Available
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Rear parking sensors
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Rear parking sensors
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Rear parking sensors
Pre-Collision System Yes Not Available
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes Not Available
Rear View Camera Yes Rear Parking Camera
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Not Available
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Rear parking sensors
Rear View Camera Yes Rear Parking Camera
Reverse Camera Yes Rear Parking Camera
Reverse Camera Type Yes Rear Parking Camera
Reversing Camera Yes Rear Parking Camera
Sport Mode Yes Not Available
Surround View Camera Yes Around View Monitor
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes Not Available
Spec Jolion Magnite
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Not Available
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Available
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Available
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Available
Automatic Shift Paddles No Not Applicable
Axle Layout FWD 2WD
Clutch Type Wet Multi-Disc Not Applicable
Differential Lock No Not Available
Differential Type Front Not Available Not Available
Differential Type Rear Not Available Not Available
Drive Mode Selector Yes -
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive 2WD
Drivetrain Layout Front Engine Front Wheel Drive 2WD
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Final Drive Ratio 3.73 Not Applicable
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Available
Number of Gears 2 5
Gear Shift Indicator Yes Not Applicable
Gear Shift Type Automatic AMT
Gearbox DHT Hybrid Transmission AMT
Gearbox Type DHT Hybrid Transmission AMT
LSD Available No Not Available
Low Range Not Applicable Not Available
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Available
Paddle Shifters No Not Applicable
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Available
Reverse Gear Warning Yes -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 14.7:1 -
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Available
Transfer Case Guard Not Available Not Available
Transmission Speeds 2 5
Transmission Type Automatic AMT

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Jolion leads by 12 points

Jolion has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Magnite remains close.

Index leader 68 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 96% source coverage
68
#1 Index leader

Jolion

96% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 73
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Leads by 12 points
56
#2

Magnite

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 16
Performance 16
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Jolion +35 Efficiency Jolion +8 Safety Jolion +7 Practicality Magnite +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Jolion

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

Magnite

Performance 16/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 64/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM Jolion leads the catalogue index with 68 pts vs 56 pts for Magnite

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Jolion leads. However, Magnite may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Jolion and Magnite comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Jolion 51 vs Magnite 16.

Efficiency index: Jolion 73 vs Magnite 65.

Safety-equipment index: Jolion 93 vs Magnite 86.

Practicality index: Jolion 60 vs Magnite 64.

Ownership-cover index: Jolion 65 vs Magnite not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.